Queanbeyan

As our closest neighbour, an effective and productive relationship between the ACT Government and Queanbeyan Palerang City Council is paramount. Since the local Government reforms in 2016 that resulted in merger of Queanbeyan with the former Palerang council, the ACT Chief Minister has continued to meet regularly with the Administrator of the council (pending election of a new Mayor in 2017) to facilitate ongoing dialogue between the two jurisdictions. As our respective urban footprints continue to expand, ensuring compatibility of future development, transport linkages and associated infrastructure is critical.

ACT- Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council Letter of Intent

In August 2016 the ACT Chief Minister and Administrator of the Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) signed the first ACT – QPRC Letter of Intent. This Letter signals the intention of the ACT Government and QPRC to formalise a relationship underpinned by the NSW/ACT Memorandum of Understanding and the NSW South East Regional Plan, and outlines the principles and priority areas to be progressed between the ACT and Queanbeyan.

The principles for engagement include:

optimising best of region outcomes;

pursuing a borderless approach to key infrastructure; and

sharing information and data to inform planning and policy development and initiatives

Priority areas of engagement include:

improving road and active transport connectivity;

collaborating on policy and planning opportunities to consider management of water, sewage, waste and renewable energy on a regional scale;

planning and collaborating on major contiguous developments;

understanding the infrastructure requirements to support population growth; and

coordinating efforts to support major events across the ACT and QPRC.

Work against these priority areas will be captured in a work plan, currently under development.